In commemoration of the 2021 International Day of Education, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, a member of Standard Bank Group, reaffirmed its commitment to providing support and ensuring accessible education to the Nigerian child.
The United Nations (UN) proclaimed 24 January as the International Day of Education, in recognition of the impact of education in bringing sustainable development across the world. The 2021 International Day of Education is themed: “Recover and Revitalise Education for the COVID-19 Generation.”
Speaking on the relevance of the celebration to Stanbic IBTC, Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC stated: “Our organisation is keen on positively impacting the education sector to drive national development.”
Adeniyi noted that: “education serves as one of the core pillars of Stanbic IBTC’s CSI initiatives”. He emphasised that the end-to-end financial institution would continue to show its unrelenting support towards growth in the Nigerian educational system.
According to him, “we embark on several initiatives aimed at improving education for the Nigerian child, even in the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic when many students struggled to keep up with learning during the nationwide lockdown.”
Stating some of the giant strides taken by Stanbic IBTC to promote effective learning amid COVID-19 disruptions, Adeniyi highlighted that the company had been actively involved in empowering the younger generation with financial literacy knowledge through its “New School Money Initiative”.
Wealth certified professionals in the organisation educated preteens and teenagers on how to develop a savings and investment culture through virtual sessions. They shed more light on subjects to distinguish between wants and needs, assets and liabilities, and the importance of making the right financial decisions. These were effectively communicated using simple, relatable videos and illustrations.
Referencing the International Day of Education theme, Adeniyi further stated that Stanbic IBTC: “leverages technological innovations to facilitate the provision of quality education in Nigeria.”
“Through our CSI initiative, we prioritise the refurbishment of dilapidated schools to create a more conducive environment for our children to learn. We support teachers with better welfare and provide e-libraries, books, computers and other digital tools to aid effective learning for students” he said.
Stanbic IBTC has also continued to demonstrate its commitment to the development of education in Nigeria through its various educational products to secure the future of young Nigerians. Some of the products include the Children Educational Savings Scheme Account (CHESS), Stanbic IBTC Education Trust (SET) investment scheme and BluEdge, which offer bespoke financial solutions that support Nigerian parents and guardians with various funding options for their children and wards. In the same vein, the leading end-to-end financial institution empowers young Nigerians to access quality education through its JAMB Scholarship Scheme.
“The celebration of the International Day of Education is an opportunity to reiterate our commitment to the growth of education in Nigeria. At Stanbic IBTC, we understand the importance of education in shaping the future of the nation, and we are committed to providing opportunities that guarantee access to quality education for every Nigerian child,” Adeniyi concluded.
